Instagram Use Among Integrated Plastic Surgery Residency Programs: New Insight for Applicants?

Area of Science:

• Plastic Surgery Education
• Medical Education
• Social Media in Medicine

Background:

• Social media, particularly Instagram, is a primary resource for prospective applicants evaluating residency programs.
• Integrated plastic surgery residency programs utilize Instagram for outreach and information dissemination.

Purpose of the Study:

• To categorize and assess the accuracy of Instagram content shared by integrated plastic surgery residency programs.
• To understand the types of information applicants can find on Instagram regarding these programs.

Main Methods:

• Instagram accounts of integrated plastic surgery residency programs were analyzed for posts from 2021-2022.
• Content was categorized by topics relevant to applicants, including surgical subspecialties, resident life, and diversity initiatives.
• Statistical analyses examined correlations between program size, diversity metrics, and research output with Instagram post characteristics.

Main Results:

• Analysis of 86 programs and 3168 posts showed 'resident life' as the most frequent category.
• Surgical content comprised 13.51% of posts, with microsurgery being the most common subspecialty.
• Weak correlation between program size and post volume; no significant relationship found between diversity posts and program diversity or research posts and faculty productivity.

Conclusions:

• Instagram serves as a valuable tool for applicants seeking to align with plastic surgery residency programs based on their interests.
• Categorization of Instagram content can guide applicants, but critical evaluation is necessary as posts may not accurately represent the program.
• Applicants should supplement Instagram insights with other information sources for a comprehensive program assessment.